Playoff baseball has arrived

Last night felt like playoff baseball - hoping not only for a win, but for an ending so I could go to sleep.

Somehow I was able to fall asleep even after all the craziness and excitement of the 9th inning in which the Red Sox stole a 9-8 walkoff win from the Angels.

Despite the playoff feel, the game never seemed comfortable other than the five-run 6th inning in which the Red Sox took a 5-3 lead. They coughed it right up and entered the bottom of the 9th facing Brian Fuentes trailing 8-7.

The Red Sox had a 23 percent chance of winning at that point, which dropped to 5 percent after two quick flyouts. Then things got crazy. David Ortiz worked a walk. J.D. Drew hit an infield single. Jed Lowrie, making his first plate appearance in more than a month, pinch hit and got another infield single. Actually, this could have been a game-tying double if Chone Figgins didn't knock it down.

Then, a nine-pitch walk by pinch-hitter Nick Green swung the odds in the Red Sox favor. I admit, Green, who looked awful and later said he had a dead leg, should have been punched out at least twice. Once on a checked swing on which he clearly swung and on the final pitch, which looked to be a perfect strike.

I'll let Mike Scioscia and Fuentes do the griping. I don't want to be fined by the commissioner's office.

Nonetheless, in baseball, spit happens, like Alex Gonzalez's little duck snort to left to win it and put the Red Sox comfortably ahead of the Rangers by 6.5 games and still within hope (6.5 games) of catching the Yankees.

Tonight's games: Both games were on TV again tonight, but we decided to rely on the channel return button instead of watching in separate rooms - especially the breath-taking 9th innings that ended without a Red Sox comeback, but a Brad Lidge save in a blemished outing.

Both our teams' aces went eight innings tonight. Josh Beckett gave up three runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts in the 4-3 loss to the Angels. Billy Wagner blew it for him in the 8th.

Cole Hamels was better than Beckett. He took a perfect game into the 6th. Christine blames me for getting up from the computer for breaking the streak. Hey, I finished prewriting the blog all I could and I was going to have to use the facilities. Jeez, it's not like I needed a substitution like Shane Victorino.

Cole finished with a run on five hits and a walk with 10 strikeouts. Brad Lidge gave up a run in the 9th, but he held on to preserve the 4-2 win over the Nationals.

Thus ended a successful 13-2 homestand for the SoxandPhils. They're cruising toward their October/November showdown.

Problem solved

The Red Sox have been looking for a way to steady their pitching staff, which was supposed to be a strength but has become an albatross. Little did we know that the solution was on the roster this whole time. And I'm not talking about Tim Wakefield ,who spent a month on the disabled list.

It's SS Nick Green, who pitched two innings last night, mopping up what turned out to be a 9-5 loss to the White Sox. We couldn't figure out why Terry Francona would bring him in. Yes, fans can give up hope trailing by seven runs with just two innings to go, but not the guy who managed the greatest postseason comeback ever.

So what happened?

Takashi Saito? Unavailable because he slept on his neck wrong Wednesday night. Billy Wagner? Unable to pitch because he threw a bullpen session yesterday afternoon.

Daniel Bard? Possible, but that would have made him unavailable for tonight against Toronto given his previous workload in the Chicago series. Hideki Okajima? Same story.

So when Junichi Tazawa faltered with every pitch but his fastball in the second and third - the White Sox banged out eight runs over the two innings - Red Sox manager Terry Francona turned to Nick Green in the third and informed the infielder he'd most likely be taking the mound for the first time as a major leaguer.

"I had to go out there and try to pitch because our pitchers couldn't go," said Green. "That's the only reason I went out there."

Two innings, no hits, no runs - but three walks - later, and I think the Red Sox have a new pitcher. But his good work might have earned him a shot at a less glamorous position:

With last night's outing on the mound, Green has now played all but one position: catcher. And it's not like that thought hasn't crossed his mind.

"I would like to, but that's a tough situation," he said. "I catch guys between innings. I feel like I could do it if I had to."

And apparently, Francona has at least considered the idea as well.

"Tito asked me if I could do it if somebody broke their leg or something," Green said. "So I know I could get back there. I don't know how good I'd be but I'd try."

Today's games: Josh Beckett's struggles continue. He gave up five runs in five innings. He's given up 13 home runs in his last three starts compared with seven in all of May, June and July. He did strike out nine tonight, so maybe the MLB Network guys are on to something about him possibly tipping pitches. He better figure it out soon because never mind Nick Green, without a strong Josh Beckett, our World Championship hopes are toast.

In the 8th - Blue Jays 5, Red Sox 5.

Phillies: Just call Pedro Martinez the Rain Man. For the second time in four Phillies starts, he had an early exit because of the weather. There were two rain delays tonight before the 3rd inning. Hopefully this one gets completed so that Cliff Lee (sorry Pedro, he's more important) has an uninterrupted start tomorrow.

Jamie Moyer, who seemingly hasn't pitched since the 1970s, is in, trying to repeat the Pedro Moyer show we saw 10 days ago. So far, so good. The Phillies are up 3-1 against the Braves in the 5th on a pair of home runs by the Big Piece Ryan Howard, who on this special night at the park - '70s night - is donning his pimp garb on the scoreboard.

Alumni - current and future

Last year's Alumni Batting Challenge was a washout. Literally. So we weren't sure that they would get this year's in, especially because we woke Sunday morning to monster downpours.

I know how hard it rained because I was off to the hardware store first thing in the morning to get supplies to fix the gaping holes the fallen shelf had put in our coat closet.

But by the afternoon, the sun was out, and the old-timers - Mitch Williams (hacking away at the right), Ricky Bottalico, Dickie Noles, Jim Eisenreich, Milt Thompson and Ricky Jordan - were swinging away.

That was largely the same lineup we should have seen last year, except swap in Tyler Green and Ozzie Virgil for Noles and Eisenreich.

We arrived a little bit later than we planned and were still gathering our concessions when the action started.

"Why is it so quiet?" Christine asked as the still-filling-up park sounded like a church.

"Ricky Bo's batting," I said. "They're letting him concentrate.

We missed his swings, but were seated for the sluggers: Eisenreich (seen on the left), Thompson (who could use some pointers) and Jordan (the only one who hit a home run - two out to left).

With so few balls leaving the yard, the former Phils gave plenty of fielding practice to those patrolling the outfield.

A young player, really green, was a crowd-pleaser whenever he caught one. We saw him nab at least two.

He had a real unconventional fielding method, which made him appear as if he were floundering about fishing for the ball.

In fact, you can see to the right that he seems perplexed by the ball he had snared.

In the end it was the gray team, the Rickys, Bottalico and Jordan, that prevailed.

When we heard Ricky Bo had 46 points, we had no idea that would be one of the highest totals of the day.

The Rickys won with 101 points followed by the Phils of '93 (Williams and Eisenreich) with 78 points while hitting coach Thompson and Noles took up the rear with 66 points.

But I'm sure the points mattered less to the alumni than gathering on the field again with their comrades and taking some hacks at the yard.

One funny thing ... after the contestants gathered for a group photo, Mitch Williams quickly ran off. It might have been the quickest we saw a Phillie move the whole day (except maybe when Shane Victorino charged the ump after getting ejected).

Future alum: Jamie Moyer may not participate in alumni gatherings after he finally retires. He's mad and feels betrayed by the organization for sending him to the bullpen:

I will take what they've asked me to do, but I'm not really excited about the decision that has been made. Ultimately, I'm a little dishearted because this past winter when I was negotiating with the Phillies this was a sore thumb, if you will, about this potentially happening.

You can't promise anything in this game, but I really felt that Ruben (Amaro Jr.) parlayed to me that this type of situation would not happen. Actually, even had some discussion with David (Montgomery) with them reassuring me that this type of situation wouldn't happen.

He got things off his chest before tonight's game, but wouldn't take questions. I thought he would take the move professionally - publicly at least.

Tonight's action: Junichi Tazawa's first big league start didn't go off well. A Nick Green error capped a three-run 1st inning for the Tigers. Mike Lowell - replacing Kevin Youkilis who was ejected for charging the mound - hit two home runs and Jason Bay hit one to give the Red Sox a 6-3 lead in the 7th.

Making his first start since being removed from the guillotine, J.A. Happ didn't pitch a shutout like last time. But he got NO support, until shortly after I typed that line. Carlos Ruiz spoiled Rich Harden's perfect game with a walk in the 6th. Jimmy Rollins ruined his no-hitter, shutout and hopefully win. In the 8th, Phillies 3, Cubs 2.

A season's series in one day

Assuming the Red Sox (currently up 7-3 in the 8th inning, thanks to just-called-up Jeff Bailey's three-run homer) finish off the Twins before midnight, then they would have swept their entire slate of home games against Minnesota in one day. This is the only time the Twinkies visit Boston, and the schedule makers made it a two-game set.

Rain cancelled Monday's game, shortened today's day game and has delayed the nightcap. I hope they get this one in so the red-hot Red Sox can keep their Thursday off day and rest up for the first meeting against the Yankees this weekend.

Speaking of the evil empire, I had fun watching and listening to bits of their game with a co-worker who is a typical Yankee fan and apparently still believes in mystique and aura after all these losing years.

In the Red Sox day game, Tim Wakefield pitched his second consecutive complete game - even if the game was shortened to seven innings. He gave up a run on five hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Is it too late to change my Cy Young prediction?

Kevin Youkilis, my MVP pick, continued to click, joining Mike Lowell and Nick Green with two-run home runs in the first three innings of the 10-1 win.

***BREAKING NEWS*** The Phillies game wasn't on TV, so we were listening to the radio broadcast as we cleaned the house for a weekend party. They said every time the World Series trophy handlers make an appearance, they buy a plane ticket for the trophy so it can sit on a seat, not in the cargo area. OK, this looks stupid in print, but Christine and I were very amused by this. {Does the trophy ask for the window seat?}

In the game, Phillies wasted a serviceable Joe Blanton performance - three runs over six innings should be a winnable game, but despite putting the potential tying run on base in the 9th, the Phillies could only manage one run off Braden Looper and the crappy Brewers bullpen.